I have been quite depressed for a long time, and I always felt an urge to express myself while I was, but since that pressure’s gone, and I’m “happy”, I just don’t feel like I can create anything.Anyone here ever experienced something like this?Thanks for your time.

Bluntly, I cannot paint or draw anything when I get depressed. I start going down that road about feeling like I am worthless, only pretending to be an artist. When I feel the state of depression coming on I usually start doing yard work or cleaning the garage or my studio, anything active to lessen the state of depression. Since I have nothing to be depressed about it is not situational depression, except for those dark dreary days with no sunshine or rain. So, I have come to the conclusion that for me the state of depression is some form of brain chemical imbalance. And since it comes in almost regular cycles it is characteristic of a bipolar, manic depressive, condition. We all have it in various degrees. The condition can become dangerous if it goes to deep into suicidal thoughts or to high into believing you have the ability to fly. If that is the level of depression you are expressing, then you need to see a doctor. Otherwise, a few, and just only a few, extra cups of coffee helps to ride it through. Going shopping is also a good way to get through it. The "bland" stage in-between depression and euphoria is many times brought about by medication. The bland stage where you feel happy but can't seem to do things, like art, is actually a subtle form of depression. Again, to see a doctor is a good idea. Hope this helps.

And then. Yes! I used to be like that to. But then I found sculpting whit clay. Which was a new medium for me a couple years ago.Sens then I have been very productive in all types of moods. (note: that doesn't mean that i'm always productive.)

CarlOwen wrote:Bluntly, I cannot paint or draw anything when I get depressed. I start going down that road about feeling like I am worthless, only pretending to be an artist. When I feel the state of depression coming on I usually start doing yard work or cleaning the garage or my studio, anything active to lessen the state of depression. Since I have nothing to be depressed about it is not situational depression, except for those dark dreary days with no sunshine or rain. So, I have come to the conclusion that for me the state of depression is some form of brain chemical imbalance. And since it comes in almost regular cycles it is characteristic of a bipolar, manic depressive, condition. We all have it in various degrees. The condition can become dangerous if it goes to deep into suicidal thoughts or to high into believing you have the ability to fly. If that is the level of depression you are expressing, then you need to see a doctor. Otherwise, a few, and just only a few, extra cups of coffee helps to ride it through. Going shopping is also a good way to get through it. The "bland" stage in-between depression and euphoria is many times brought about by medication. The bland stage where you feel happy but can't seem to do things, like art, is actually a subtle form of depression. Again, to see a doctor is a good idea. Hope this helps.

And then. Yes! I used to be like that to. But then I found sculpting whit clay. Which was a new medium for me a couple years ago.Sens then I have been very productive in all types of moods. (note: that doesn't mean that i'm always productive.)

Hi chirchri. You don't feel like you can, and if you don't pick up a brush or a pencil, you will not. Why not do it anyway. You might consider its benefit as improving your creative language so that if you are again depressed, you will be more equipped to cope with it, to plow your way through it. If you do not feel like it, why would you post this?

Agree, I don't think you can actually 'lose' your abilities. When I get depressed, it usually helps me to cope with that depression, even though the result might not be as good as I want it to be. In that moment I actually don't care about the outcome. I just want to distract myself doing stuff that I love.